Sri Lanka has recovered after losing 3 early wickets and reached 181/3 at tea on day one of the second Test against Pakistan in Galle. Pakistan leads the two-match series 1-0.
Angelo Mathews, playing his 100th Test, and in-form Dinesh Chandimal were unbeaten on 36 and 35 runs, respectively.
Chandimal got a reprieve when Hasan Ali misjudged a catch at deep fine leg on the bowling of Naseem Shah. The right-hander had scored 19 runs at that time.
Meanwhile, on the stroke of tea, skipper Babar Azam dropped a simple catch of Mathews, when he was on 36. Nauman Ali was the unlucky bowler on this occasion.
Pakistan’s only wicket in the session came in the shape of captain Dimuth Karunaratne, who mistimed a reverse sweep on the bowling of leg-spinner Yasir Shah. Naseem Shah completed a good diving catch at point to end the left-hander’s knock at 40.
Pakistan claimed two late wickets to spoil Sri Lanka’s session on the first day of the second Test in Galle.
The home side reached 96/2 at lunch. Openers Dimuth Karunaratne and Oshada Fernando provided the home side with a solid partnership of 92 runs.
However, Fernando, who was looking in great touch, departed immediately after reaching fifty as spinner Mohammad Nawaz gave Pakistan a crucial breakthrough.
Meanwhile, on the stroke of lunch Kusal Mendis, 3, was run out at the non-striker’s end while backing up. The ball was deflected onto the stumps by Agha Salman with Mendis’ bat marginally in the air.
Sri Lanka has won the toss and decided to bat first in the second Test. Injured pacer Shaheen Afridi is replaced by spinner Nauman Ali, while top-order batter Azhar Ali has made way for Fawad Alam in the Pakistan lineup.
